Christmas travel disruption: Gatwick and Heathrow trains

Crossrail and engineering disruption expected for Gatwick and Heathrow train

Passengers travelling to Gatwick and Heathrow over the Christmas period have been warned to leave plenty of time for their journeys due to disruption caused by Crossrail and engineering works.

Engineering works will halt all Gatwick Express trains for 10 days due, with the last service leaving Victoria station at 9.15pm on Christmas Eve and not restarting until January 4.

At Heathrow, the normal one day closure on Christmas Day will be extended by three days due to Crossrail works. Neither Heathrow Express nor Heathrow Connect trains will run from London Paddington station for the 3 days.

Great Western Railway said services will be disrupted “as part of a large programme of engineering in the Thames Valley needed for the launch of Crossrail in 2019”.

Stephen Joseph, director of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “These engineering works will of course cause huge problems for travellers and I suspect the decision has been taken to inconvenience airline passengers rather than inconvenience commuters.

Gatwick Express

“What these closures highlight, however, is the lack of surface transport options to both Heathrow and Gatwick, which is something the Government is still failing to address in its plans for airport expansion.”

A Heathrow airport spokesman said: “Due to essential Crossrail improvement works being carried out by Network Rail, Heathrow Express services will not run from Friday 25th to Monday 28th December 2015.

“The Piccadilly Line and additional bus and coach services will be operating. Passengers are advised to leave extra time when travelling to the airport.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Improving rail links to our major airports is absolutely vital for passengers, visitors and our economy. The work we’re carrying out this Christmas has been planned in close collaboration with both Heathrow and Gatwick and the train operators which serve them.

“There will be rail and bus links to Gatwick but journeys will take longer, while London Underground links to Heathrow remain open.”